Yard sales can be a great place to find good deals, especially if the seller just wants to get rid of stuff. As the weather gets warmer, you’ll see more and more people setting up tables in their yard for a big sale. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind. These tips will help you get the best deals and help you avoid yard sale mistakes.
How do I find local yard sales?
It was a huge deal when Craigslist ended its licensing agreement with the Yard Sale Treasure Map app. The app made it easy to plan a route for the yard sales you wanted to hit in your area.
You could also easily see all the yard sales happening in your area. What now? While we’re not living in the caveman days where you had to look at your local paper and a fold-out map, you will have to do more work.
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Many people now post their yard sale listing on Facebook groups. Make sure you join as many local Facebook groups devoted to yard sales as possible.
You can then write down the sale, the address, and what the person will be selling. This will help you prioritize your list for the weekend.
You can also check Craigslist directly, or you can check local newspaper websites. Many people don’t pay for ads in the paper anymore, but those with a lot to sell might. Regardless, Facebook groups are your best bet by far.
Can I make money selling items I purchase at yard sales?
Yes! Now, you can’t buy anything and hope to sell it. You need to be knowledgeable about what you’re buying. You can easily research items by having the eBay app on your phone. Just go to the search bar and enter the item you’re curious about. Then go to the sold listings to see what the item REALLY sells for. The higher the number sold compared to the number available, the better.
6 Tips to Scoring Yard Sale Deals
Don’t Sleep In On Yard Sale Day
You need to hit the coffee pot before dawn if you want the best deals. Of course, no one wants to get up that early on a Saturday, but doing so will ensure you get the best deals and the best stuff.
If you don’t hit the yard sales early, there’s a good chance that all the good stuff will be gone. The only advantage of shopping late in the day is that sellers are usually more willing to cut you a good deal.
Find Those Yard Sales
Gone are the days of picking up a newspaper and marking the sales you want to visit. Today, most sales are shared online in Facebook yard sales or community groups. You can also find sales using apps. If you’re interested in the newspaper classifieds, check the newspaper website, this will save you money buying a newspaper each week.
Have a Game Plan
Once you’ve spotted the yard sales you want to visit, create a list of the ones you want to hit, along with the addresses. Put the list in order of which ad seems to be the most promising.
For example, if there’s something you’re really interested in, make sure you hit that yard sale first. You should visit other yard sales first if the yard sale starts later in the day than other sales. Remember, make the most of your time. Some apps will help you plan out the best route.
Make a Shopping List
Hitting local yard sales can be a great way to score deals, but it’s only a deal if you need the item. So before going on your next trip, consider what you want to buy. You can then make notes of what each sale has. This will make it easier to get the best deals on the items you need and avoid buying items you don’t need.
Bundle, Bundle, Bundle Those Yard Sale Finds
You always want to bundle the items you want and have a price in mind of what you want to pay for all of it. For example, if you have 10 items totaling $25, make an offer of $18.
Chances are the seller will come back at $20, which is still a good deal. The idea is to go in with an offer that is lower than what you want to pay so that you and the seller meet somewhere around that magic number.
Haggle
Last but not least, don’t be afraid to haggle. Even if you’re just buying one item, you may still be able to get a lower price. But, again, go in lower than what you want to pay, and you’ll be more likely to end up with a price you’re comfortable with.
Yard sales are a great way to save money on everything from furniture to video games. However, you won’t get the best deals unless you follow these tips. Also, check out the 5 Ways to Turn Clutter Into Cash post to make some money this summer.